2012 and 2013 threads.

A look back:

Pretty good year for me chesswise and ratingwise, finishing up the year with an odd string of performances +30, +30, +30, -60 (ouch), +35 but feeling like I'm playing solid chess, and am up half a rating class on the year.

I did actually start playing the QGD exchange, although I don't really have a feel for it yet (I should post an ugly rapid game of mine demonstrating this), completing the transition to "old man" chess. My middlegame play has improved quite a bit, although I would still put the endgame transition as the part that needs the most work.

2014: There's some mopping up around openings needed (no idea what to do in the Nimzo if I really want to keep Nc3 move orders, really need a better approach against 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4). But otherwise, I'm done with openings for a while, and feel like I reaping the benefits of a slow-motion revamp of my repertoire.

Eventually, I will have to figure out how to introduce more dynamism into my play...but for now, I want to keep pushing in the same direction (playing for structure) for a while and see how far I can get there. Keeping the current momentum is enough for 2014...now that I've gotten over being intimidated by middling masters, maybe see if I can get myself an IM scalp or two this year.

What's the recap and 2014 goals for everyone else?

confirmed old fart.

Thanks for starting this thread Sholar, I completely forgot about it. These are always fun.

Review of 2013
Overall 2013 was a good year. I broke through 2000 USCF for the first time and played in the National Open in Las Vegas, which is always fun, and scored a win as black over a 2442 in a G/30. I didn't gain too many rating points for the year, probably somewhere in the 50-ish range, but I think the main thing is the quality of my chess between the beginning of the year and now is much greater than 50 points.

My biggest goal for the year was to play more dynamic chess, and I feel like I've taken huge leaps forward in that regard. I gave up my beloved Caro-Kann (we were together for several years, it was a tough break up) for the Modern and am enjoying chess more than I ever have. The games themselves are much more interesting, and I'm scoring better against higher rated opposition than ever before. Probably my biggest problem going into this year was that I played very safe, risk-averse, overly-solid chess that presented very few practical problems for the opponent. Now I'm getting much more complicated, double-edged positions that have produced wins over some good players.

The most frustrating part of the year was from about Aug-Dec I went through a period where I simply couldn't finish a won game against stronger players. Not the type where Houdini evaluates the position at +0.7 or something, but literally lost games where I was a +3.0 or more against significantly higher opponents; two 2300s in fact, and several other 2000+ guys. It's almost like the chess equivalent of a case of the yips in golf. Whatever the cause, I'm coming out of that now and am playing much more confidently.

Goals for 2014
Really there is only one goal: USCF 2200. I've been saying it tongue-in-cheek for the past couple of years, but this is the first time I feel like it's really within reach. I'm going to play in as many tournaments as possible and really make a push for the NM title. I realize it's virtually meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but it would mean a lot to me.

Here's to a great year of chess for all of 2+2.

Sholar, btw, you're learning to play the QGD exchange as white? I'm transitioning from the mainline stuff to the exchange as well (as white) because I got tired of trying to keep up with all of the intricacies of black's options. And well, mainly I got tired of playing against the Tartakower. Anyway, if you ever want to start a thread and kick around games/ideas/positions I'd be all for it. YKW (as white) and Noir_Desir (as black) would be some great resources as well.

Yes, although I might ultimately enter via Nf3 move orders (which transpose similar to the semi-slav with Nbd7 in many cases) depending on how much work I want to do with the Nimzo. Will dust off a couple of recent games and create a thread...

I guess being excited about the QGD exchange thread makes me an old man as well.

Just to start playing some chess again. I wonder how my ragtag mid 90's opening repertoire of dubious lines will look in 2014 .................

Even though I haven't posted in the 2012 thread, I have to say that year 2013 have exceed all expectations. As far as chess, I have gained a decent amount of rating points and have scored my first IM norm, which was completely unexpected. I have also placed 3rd in the national championship on classic chess, and 1st (!!!!) in the rapid championship, ahead of a lot of GMs and IM's. Absolutely none of that did I expect AT ALL.

As far as personal life, I got married to an amazing woman and we are also expecting a child, so that was also a spectacular and completely unexpected success in 2013

As far as 2014, my biggest goal is to help my students improve. Especially to TexAg, I really want to help him to get as close to 2200 as possible. He is playing really good chess and having a lot of fun at the moment, as long as that continues I think we have got a chance! You might think it's bull****, but these days I really get more satisfaction of getting my students to succeed than succeeding myself

Of course though, I do have some goals as far as my own chess goes for 2014 too. They are: 1) qualifying for the national team for the Tromso Olympics (I have qualified for the national team for the 2012 Istambul Olympiad and the 2013 Warsaw European Championship, in Istambul I played super bad, in Warsaw I got my first IM norm, but still, I wanna redeem myself in the Olympiad as well! ) 2) get my second IM norm 3) improve my rating as much as possible

But still, as I am going to become a father in mid summer, I think that my personal chess goals are rather hard to attain, so I might focus on coaching. I have some really good students, and as far as 2+2 students go, I think that TexAg has all the chances to reach his goals this year.

I wish you all a great 2014, and I do hope that you guys reach all of your goals!

Hoorray to the best chess-forum on Earth - the 2+2 chess sub-forum!

I just started about 1 month ago and have logged about 150 games of 10-minute blitz and about 50 games of 15/10 (including unrated games played against my wife who I'd assess between 650-750 or so.

In blitz I went from my low of 645 to 821 chess.com rating in 108 games.

In standard 15/10 I went from a low of 672 to 887 in 31 games.

Since I just started I have no idea what my hard-fast goals would be or what I'm really shooting for but I'd like to try to play 1 match every day at least and be able to devote full attention to it. I will keep using the online Mentor tool and posting my games in BBV and reading (and understanding) the feedback I've gotten from the terrific posters who have taken time to help me.

Another goal is to be less scared of losing. I really hate losing but if you aren't losing enough then you aren't challenging yourself enough. I gotta get over this and welcome losses and draws if they help me learn. It's weird, in poker a lost pot doesn't bother me too much if I think I played it right but in chess I get really bothered by being bested by the other guy or girl. lol.

So no real ratings goals I don't think. I mean I'm hoping quadruple digits is in the near future but I have no idea how hard or easy that is to attain or where I might be by the end of the year.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me so far. Maybe y'all have some insight as to where I can be 12 months from now?

2013 was a great year for me. I played my first rated tournament in over 10 years in June, ended up playing four rated tournaments, and saw my rating go from 1246 (during the decade hiatus) up to 1447 at year end. In addition, I managed to start up a chess club in my hometown, became a USCF Tournament Director, and ran two successful events.

My 2014 goals are:

As a player:
Play at least 20 rated games over the course of the year, and get my rating above 1600 (while improving enough that by the end of the year I'm able to honestly say that I believe I'm playing at "Class A level" and that my rating "just hasn't caught up yet".)

As an organizer:
Continue organizing events, and run at least one tournament with 20+ participants (tough in a small town, my two events this year had 8 and 10 player).

There are other goals that are possible but less likely, such as actually getting to Class A for real, or running a 30+ player tournament, which would be great, but I'm trying to keep my "official" goals easily achievable for the sake of not getting discouraged. I'd rather overachieve easier goals than fail to meet harder goals.

Also, congratulations!!!

Goal #1 - Suck Less

2013 was a decent year - drew with a GM for the first time in Feb, then beat a GM for the first time in October, and gained a handful of rating points which is better than losing them.

Two goals for this year: I'd like my club team to win the Armstrong Cup (the oldest chess competition in the world) and my school team which I occasionally coach to win the Millfield International, a 12-board tournament for British and Irish schools. Unfortunately we've got our work cut out in both. The Armstrong is half over and we are not in a great position, so may have to settle for being in pole position this time next year as a goal.

Personal goals: don't get any worse. I'd like to reach 2200 but it's a crappy goal because I think I'm already strong enough and high enough rated that if I keep playing at this level I'll fluctuate over that eventually. In the longer term I'd like to be 2300 but it won't happen this year.

Simple I guess, I want to play 20+ rated games to get through my provisional rating. My goal is to finish this provisional period with a Class A rating, but ultimately I want to be 2000+.

2013 - About 6 weeks ago, I got back into the game for the first time since a lot of mostly casual play in high school. I've been playing on chess.com, where my rating is now at 1441 in standard time, after around 175 games.

Goals for 2014 - I want to hit at least 1600 on chess.com (I don't really have any idea if that's too ambitious or not ambitious enough) and play in a few OTB events by the end of the year. I may switch to another site, though, as the player pool on chess.com between 1500-1700 seems thin. Is another site better?

Plan - I spend a lot of time on the tactics trainer on chess.com, and I want to keep this up and see if I can keep driving that rating up--it's at about 1550 now. I now only play one or two games a day, with my full attention, and I think this is the way to go. I spend a little bit of time analyzing all of my games. As for books, I've been working my way through Logical Chess, one game a day. When that's finished, I want to go through My System, HTRYC, and Silman's Endgames. I'd like advice on books. I really have no openings knowledge, apart from the first 3 or 4 moves of the most common openings. I'm not sure at what point it's a good idea to start focusing on openings--and I don't really know the best way to go about it either.

1200-1400 should be doable. You should start doing tactics problems if you aren't already.

I just got into chess in 2013. I'd had some interest years ago, but never played regularly.

In 2013 I read some stuff, did some puzzles, and played mostly 2|1, going from 800 or so to about 1200 (chess.com rating for both bullet and blitz, my "standard" rating there is ~1500 because I've played very few games).

2014 goals:

- play and review longer games (15|10 or slower)
- work on my tactics (mid 1300 on both CTS and the chess.com tactics trainer)
- continue to work through Palliser's Complete Chess Workout and Silman's Endgame Course
- read Simple Chess

I really hope I won't find excuses not to follow through, even though it's gonna be a busy year at work and with this being my last (hopefully) year in college.

How did everyone do on their goals this year?

1/2 on my team goals. Success in the one I couldn't directly affect. The other one is looking promising for this year.

Didn't get any worse at chess and got one more result against a GM, so pretty good overall

Hmm. I didn't play much until recently, and found that I was (unsurprisingly but annoyingly) much worse than I was a year ago. Starting to shake off the rust, though..so I guess my resolution for 2015 is to keep playing chess :-)

Definitely didn't do so well on my goals last year. Wanted to play 20+ rated games, but ended up only playing 7. I did gain 97 rating points in the process, that was nice, but it left me 56 rating points shy of my other goal: 1600. I can't help but feel I'd have achieved the rating goal if I had played more. Second (and last) event of the year was in June. And as an organizer, I only ran one event, early in the year, and that was it.

I let moving set me back a lot more than it needed to, as there is an active chess community in my new area, but I haven't really engaged them. That makes goals for 2015 pretty straightforward.